Learn-Serve International Workshop

Learn-Serve students at the end of their weekend retreat

This weekend, three of my training colleagues and I went out to the For the Love of Children’s Outdoor Education Center in Harper’s Ferry, VA to facilitate a workshop on cross-cultural learning with students in the Learn-Serve International program.  Learn-Serve brings together high school students from all over the Washington, DC area to work in teams throughout the year, developing and implementing a social entrepreneurship project that addresses a need in their community.

The goal of the workshop was to have the students to explore elements of their own identity and community, learn about the diversity of others in the group, and start to think about different ways they will be working together throughout the year – both opportunities for and potential obstacles to collaboration.  Download workshop outline here.

This is the second time I have facilitated this workshop and am looking forward to seeing the social entrepreneurship projects that these students come up with.  To be honest, I wish I participated in a program like this when I was in high school.  It is a great opportunity for students to meet young people from other schools and communities in the area, build friendships, and develop skills for being innovate leaders in addressing community needs and advancing social justice.